I think it's time I got a compressor/limiter. I've got some sensitive mikes that occasionally distort when my dynamics change, basically ruining everything; but when I back the mikes off and twiddle knobs to try and handle my loudest signal, I lose the proximity effect from the mikes to the degree that the sound gets rather sallow.
It seems like the common solution is to put a compressor/limiter in the signal chain, set it so that it just intercepts the real spikes that would cause distortion without overly coloring my sound, and play on fearlessly. Some have advised not to do this b/c you can always add compression later, in mixing, but that doesn't help with my distortion issue - I'm not interested in compression as a sound coloring technique, so much.
So - I am holding this 20% off coupon from Guitar Center...uh huh....
I know folks like the RNC, but just from the price it seems like this is not up to the level of my ADesigns tube pre, and I don't want to taint my signal path. Also, I'm not at all clear on whether a tube compressor is preferable when the goal is basically taming transients. Is the response time fast enough?
If I'm willing to spend $400, i.e. $500 value given the coupon, what should I get? I need FOUR channels for my mikes, BTW....
Any strong opinions? I searched the forum and didn't see much in the way of specific equipment preferences for fingerstyle. TIA! Help me spend this dough!!
__________________
Edward
It seems like the common solution is to put a compressor/limiter in the signal chain, set it so that it just intercepts the real spikes that would cause distortion without overly coloring my sound, and play on fearlessly. Some have advised not to do this b/c you can always add compression later, in mixing, but that doesn't help with my distortion issue - I'm not interested in compression as a sound coloring technique, so much.
So - I am holding this 20% off coupon from Guitar Center...uh huh....
I know folks like the RNC, but just from the price it seems like this is not up to the level of my ADesigns tube pre, and I don't want to taint my signal path. Also, I'm not at all clear on whether a tube compressor is preferable when the goal is basically taming transients. Is the response time fast enough?
If I'm willing to spend $400, i.e. $500 value given the coupon, what should I get? I need FOUR channels for my mikes, BTW....
Any strong opinions? I searched the forum and didn't see much in the way of specific equipment preferences for fingerstyle. TIA! Help me spend this dough!!
__________________
Edward